Ransomware

Horror stores about ransomware just keep coming. Every week another city finds itself under attack by computer code that locks out personnel from the essential services they provide.

Your city is being targeted right now. The security protocols built into your IT infrastructure will repel most breach attempts. But they won’t catch them all. And sometimes – in fact, most of the time – it’s not about technology; it’s about one employee clicking on a phishing email that gives hackers access to your systems.

Most ransomware attacks and phishing schemes in public and private sector entities are successful because someone in that organization clicks on a link that gives the hackers access to their systems – and personal data on their personnel.

There are numerous ways to make one of these links seem authentic, and one of the latest may be among the most deceptive.

When we saw the news about Oakland being hit with a major ransomware attack, we knew two things were about to occur. First, our website traffic would surge and we’d be processing requests from hundreds of new clients over the next 48 hours. Second, we’d hear from current clients, confirming that their online privacy protection was still active and working to keep them safe.

Recently, the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Police Department revealed that police personnel files were stolen in a ransomware attack and posted on the dark web. This is not the first such attack against BART personnel; in 2011, hackers released more than 100 officers’ email addresses, passwords and personal data.

That’s going to result in some bad press for a fine organization, but the fact is that no public entity is immune to such attacks. From the largest global entities to the smallest municipal library, hackers can strike anywhere.

This month, thousands of students finally returned to school classrooms. That’s the good news. The bad news? Ransomware has also gone back to school and is already causing trouble.

We’ve all heard of ransomware attacks against public and private sector entities. Hackers lock down websites and IT resources, and demand a ransom to restore access. The motivation is money, but the collateral damage often includes thousands of people having their personal information exposed.

We would say ransomware is back in the news, but that would suggest that it ever actually left.

However, two recent incidents that made national news headlines are frightening reminders of how pervasive this threat has become to both private and public sector entities.

It’s not breaking news to report that hackers rank among the poorest excuses for human beings on the planet. But it takes a disaster like a pandemic to reveal how awful they are.

While cities and states cope with the added stress of keeping government services accessible in these challenging times, hackers are taking advantage of their distraction by increasing ransomware attacks – locking out access to vital services until a ransom is paid for their restoration.

Yes, this is one more headache you don’t need. Yes, we can help.

The fall semester is fast approaching at our nation’s colleges and universities.

This was already going to be a semester unlike any other with all the concerns and uncertainties surrounding COVID-19; the last thing these institutions of higher learning need is another headache.

Why, hello, ransomware – somebody get the aspirin.

Horror stores about ransomware have been impossible to avoid, because they just keep coming. Every month, it seems another website for a municipality, a school district, a library, a police department or some other public sector entity is invaded by computer code that locks out public officials from the essential services they provide.

Fortunately, there are ways to fight back.